Functionalism

Things that are learned and shared by a society or group of people and transmitted from generation to generation

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What is the definition of norms?

Specific rules that govern behaviour in particular situations

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What is the definition of values?

General principles or goals which tell us what is good and what we should aim for

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What is the definition of socialisation?

Learning all the things that are necessary for us to be accepted as full members of society

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What is the definition of status?

Your position in society.

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What is an ascribed status?

A status you're born with

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What is an achieved status?

A status your own throughout your life

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What is the defintiion of role?

Consensus

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What kind of theory is Functionalism?

Durkheim - idea that human body works like society, if one institution fails, as does the whole of society.

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Who introduced the organic analogy and what is it?

Basic needs or requirements that must be met if society needs to survive, e.g food and shelter

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What is value consensus?

The agreement on the values by all members of society - all institutions will have their own value consensus that all within the institution will follow, along with this society as a whole also has their own value consensus, e.g b kind to each other

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What is social order?

The idea that a certain degree of order and stability is essential for a society to survive. Functionalists argue that value consensus helps to embed this

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What "type of view" have Functionalists been considered to have on society?

Rose-tinted-view because they seem to ignore all the negative aspects of society

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How can Functionalism be considered deterministic?

They argue that society shapes human behaviour when, in fact, individuals can shape the social system, e.g Martin Luther King

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What assumption are Functionalist views of society based on?

The assumption that society operates on the basis of consensus (agreement) and that there is a tendency towards equilibrium (balance) between various parts of society so that they work together harmoniously

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What is an example of how Functionalist theories stress the interrelationship between family and other social institutions?

The family prepares children to become adult workers and take on roles in the economy to support themselves and their dependents. In this way, the family system and economic system are linked